A Little Exercise Helps Smokers Quit and Live Longer

April 24, 2012

It is common knowledge that smoking is bad for your health, but quitting can seem like a daunting task. A large study in Taiwan involving over 430,000 smokers found that just 15 minutes of exercise per day increased a smoker’s chance of quitting by 55% and made them 43% less likely to smoke again after quitting.

The author of the study, Chi Pang Wen, a professor at the National Health Research Institute and China Medical University Hospital in Taiwan, suggests that exercising provides a distraction from focusing on the urge to smoke. In addition, the physical activity improves overall health and increases life expectancy. Up to 5.6 years, on average, can be added to an ex-smoker’s life by being active 30 minutes a day.